Support k-12 Students Experiencing Homelessness

Dear Friends and Supporters,

As we close this fiscal year, we want to reflect on the incredible resilience, progress, and partnerships that have defined School on Wheels.

This fiscal year has been one of challenges and triumphs. Despite an ongoing youth homelessness crisis and funding hurdles, our dedicated team, volunteers, and partners have made extraordinary efforts to support the children and youth we serve. 1,646 students experiencing homelessness received tutoring, mentorship, and the vital resources they need to stay engaged and strive toward their dreams. 1,238 passionate volunteers provided 14,000 tutoring sessions to help our children succeed. And our community of individuals, corporate sponsors, and social clubs helped us distribute 10,576 brand-new backpacks filled with school supplies.

We are especially proud of our progress in addressing mental health and well-being, recognizing how critical these supports are for vulnerable children. Homelessness is often accompanied by trauma, stress, and instability, but through well-developed Social Emotional Learning programs, we are working to foster hope and recovery.

This fiscal year also marked a milestone with the exciting announcement of our new Skid Row Learning Center location. Thanks to a new partnership with the Weingart Center, we plan to relocate to a larger, more accessible space in the heart of Skid Row. This new center will be a hub for education, mental health, and community resources. It will allow us to expand our programs and reach more children—offering them a safe and welcoming environment to learn, grow, and heal.

Looking ahead, our focus remains on increasing graduation and retention rates, strengthening mental health initiatives, and advocating for sustainable funding to support unhoused youth. We are dedicated to continuing our work to fill in the educational gaps that hinder student success, ensuring every unhoused student has the resources they need to thrive. Additionally, we are committed to expanding our programs, engaging more volunteers, and leveraging the new Learning Center to make an even greater impact.

We could not have achieved any of this without your unwavering support. Your donations, advocacy, and belief in our mission continue to transform lives and create pathways to brighter futures for all our students.

From all of us at School on Wheels, thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we are building a future where every child—no matter their circumstances—can access the education and support they need to thrive.

With deep appreciation,

Charles Evans, Executive Director
Josh Fein, President of the Board of Directors

Inside the report, you’ll find:
Stories from board members, volunteers, and students
Statistics showing the impact of our programs
Our supporters and partners who make a difference every day

Your generosity helps us provide programs and services throughout six counties in Southern California, investing in the educational lives of our students.

With deep appreciation for your friendship and support,
School on Wheels

https://schoolonwheels.org/2024-2025-impact-report/

In 2024, School on Wheels:

• Tutored and mentored I,660 unhoused students offering the important consistent support that makes the greatest difference in their educational lives.
• Recruited, trained, and matched 1,246 volunteers
• Served 742 K-4 students with our Literacy Program. With literacy the single most significant predictor of future academic success, helping children (K-4) with this key subject has important lifetime implications.
• 471 students participated in our Academic Program, supporting their growth in reading or math skills using a strength-based approach to our families and harnessing educational technology.
• Served 209 students with our BUS Program (Believe/Understand/Succeed) where students receive academic support for graduation and guidance to dream a future compelling enough to remain in school.
• Distributed over 10,000 backpacks
• Provided 338 devices and hotspots to ensure students had access to the technology they needed to meet with tutors (in some cases even attend school).
• Awarded $29,000 in scholarships.
• Tutored in six counties in Southern California, in person and online.
• Raised $3,000,000 in cash and material donations

Challenges in 2024:

• Attracting more tutors so that we continue to serve more students. Tutor numbers, especially in- person, are still dampened since COVID-19. The decline in formal volunteering in the U.S. is at an alarming 30-year low of 23%.
• Wildfires in Los Angeles not only disrupted the lives of staff, volunteers, and families we serve, but have also strained our funding sources. Some of our key donors have redirected their giving toward immediate disaster relief.
• Many of our partners are facing budget cuts; Case Managers, Homeless Liaison Officers, and shelter staff are not high priorities for many of these organizations. However, they are critical to our ability to conduct outreach to our students and families.
• The instability and policy shifts of the new administration have created an increasingly difficult environment for nonprofits like ours. Sudden regulatory changes, funding cuts, and a broader climate of uncertainty—marked by policies that undermine vulnerable communities—have forced us to be more resourceful than ever. Many of those we serve are facing heightened economic and social hardships due to these changes, increasing the demand for our services at a time when securing sustainable funding has become more difficult.

Links:

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